The governors of the three successor states of Western Equtoria State have met in Yambio to discuss security and division of the assets of Western Equatoria.
Governor Africano Monday of Maridi State, Governor Joseph Nyigele Pacifo of Amadi State and Governor Patrick Rafael Zamoi of Gbudwe State took office after Salva Kiir removed and arrested the elected Western Equatoria Governor Joseph Bakosoro.
In a decree on Christmas Eve, Kiir appointed the new governors and declared the Western Equatoria State government ‘defuct’.
Kiir has instructed the new governors to divide assets of the former states and proceed to set up their administrations. Africano Monday returned to Maridi on Monday evening from Yambio after a two-day visit to the capital of Western Equatoria, Yambio.
He said that the reason for his visit to Yambio was to hold a consultative meeting with his two counterparts of Gbudwe and Amadi states.
“We consulted on a number of areas and one of them is ensuring security in the three states. And I think any of us know that insecurity in any of the states is likely to spill over into our state. So we had consultative meetings with regards to that.”
He continued, “And we were also briefed by some of the technical committee members and also the sub-committee members who were tasked to distribute the assets of the former Western Equatoria State and also look at the various human resources – capacities within the former Western Equatoria State so that they are redistributed into the state.”
“So the briefing was done and the reports were presented to us so I think now the process of redistributing the assets are going on. For example, redistributing the vehicles and other movable assets. So that also went on very well,” said Africano.
The top Maridi official said also that he met with some few members of Maridi community especially the members of the now ‘defunct’ Western Equatoria legislative assembly and other executives of the former state government. He briefied them and urged them to come to Maridi.
Africano says the security situation in the state especially on the roads is improving despite some isolated issues in the past two weeks where vehicles were ambushed and properties were robbed by criminals.